All right. As a matter of principle, I'm going to emphasize that I can't condone violence. But I'm also not going to be terribly disappointed by the news that a guy got kicked in the face after calling someone a "chink."
In London, 20-year-old Sidney Chan is accused of kicking Stephen Kent in the face -- twice -- during a fight that broke out after Kent called him a "chink" while they were leaving a student bar at Imperial College.
Rugby player allegedly broke student's eye-socket after being called a 'chink' outside bar
Prosecutors say the altercation was set off when Chan "provoked" Kent by making a comment about his "1980s-style mullet haircut." (I am absolutely dead serious.) But Chan denies making fun of the mullet. He says Kent was the real aggressor, calling him a "chink" before charging at him and throwing punches.
"I never said anything about his hair," Chan said at trial. "He started throwing punches at me after he fell to the ground after I had pushed him. He quickly got back up and he charged at my group and started throwing punches at me."
Surveillance camera footage shows Chan's friends trying to restrain him, but he breaks free and engages with Kent. At one point in the struggle, Kent falls to the ground. That's when prosecutors say Chan ran up and kicked Kent in the head, leaving him unconscious.
Kent suffered a fractured nose and eye socket and a heavy concussion.
Chan has been on trial facing a charge of wounding with intent. However, he maintains that he acted in self-defense and was simply trying to put an end to the fight, which Kent persisted on continuing.
"All I wanted him to do was leave us alone, stop following us, and stop fighting me, and stop harassing my friends," Chan said.
First of all, the mullet thing is possibly the stupidest reason ever to start a fight. But if what the prosecution is saying is true, I see little justification to kick a guy twice while he was already on the ground. Then again, like I said, if you're going to call someone a "chink," you're not going to get too much sympathy from me, mullet-boy.
UPDATE: Sidney Chan has been reportedly cleared of the attack on Stephen Kent. According to Court New UK, Chan denied kicking Kent in the face and only shoved and punched him in self-defense. Chan says Kent may have sustained his injuries when he was knocked down in the street during the fight.
More here (subscription required): Rugby player cleared of attack
